”I’m afraid I’m going to be fired, or have been. What can I do?”
Have you recently been laid off or are you currently afraid you’ll be next on the layoff list? Find out how to get through such a difficult situation and how to deal with redundancy fears. This article provides practical tips to help you find your place in the job market.
60% of employees fear losing their job
Globally, six out of ten people fear possible job loss in the face of generative artificial intelligence. Ironically, fewer than a third of CEOs see job loss as a concern for their workforce.
In the United States, 85% of employees fear job loss in 2024, according to a study by MyPerfectResume. 69% of respondents believe that competition for jobs will increase in 2024, and 45% expect a reduction in remote job openings. In addition, the surge of artificial intelligence is also a concern, with 78% of job seekers worrying about job displacement due to its expansion in 2024.
Anxiety about whether people will be next on the list is almost as bad as the anxiety felt by those who have lost their jobs. The uncertainty of a potential threat can be the hardest part to face.
How do you get rid of negative thoughts about job insecurity?
Fear of being fired traps many people in a vicious circle of worst-case scenarios. How do you stop the spiral of negative thoughts? Here are some simple steps:
● Write down your thoughts. That way you’ll be able to identify what triggered those emotions and what your beliefs are about the situation, so you can detach and think objectively. For example: “I just had a meeting where 10% of my colleagues lost their jobs, and now I’m worried I’ll be out of a job and won’t be able to pay my rent.”
● Replace every negative thought with a positive and realistic affirmation For example: “Just because my co-workers got fired doesn’t mean I am going to lose my job tomorrow.” Focusing on the present can help you ground yourself and make you feel more in control of the situation.
● Take proactive measures to prepare for a potential layoff. Update your resume, set up job alerts on job search websites, and seek advice from a mentor or other professional contacts. In that way, you’ll feel more prepared in case of potential redundancy.
● Focus on the hobbies, relationships and interests that give you joy outside of your job. When you’re under this kind of stress, it starts to spill over into your personal life and relationships. Even finding a new TV show to be excited about, Hansen says, can be a powerful antidote to layoff anxiety. Don’t forget to enjoy family and friends, and things that give you pleasure outside of work.
So far this year, more than 130 companies have laid off more than 33,000 people worldwide, according to Layoffs.fyi, and headlines about companies in various industries laying off hundreds or even thousands of people only amplify the anxiety, spreading panic and worry.
These actions seem to reflect a broader trend in the tech industry, where organizations are relying more and more on artificial intelligence and automation, and that often leads to fewer employees. Anna Tavis, clinical professor in Human Capital Management at New York University, believes that all industries will continue to ”right size” their staffing levels in pursuit of efficiency, cost cutting, and rationalizing their skills portfolio.
Other experts are calming the waters: “Indeed, tens of thousands of people laid off in a single month is not a small number, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the number of people who are laid off, monthly, even in a strong and stable labour market”, says Heidi Shierholz, president of the progressive Economic Policy Institute in Washington.
But what can you do if you’ve been fired?
Here are seven tips to help you get through it easier and give you insights on what you can do next, based on articles published in Forbes and Indeed:
1. Process your emotions.
It’s important to take the time to process all the emotions that may arise from being laid off. It’s normal to feel shocked, angry, sad, or confused in these situations. Anxiety can cause you to have negative thoughts that will affect your self-confidence. Try to think rationally.
Don’t rush to ignore or dismiss these emotions; allow yourself to feel and express them in a healthy way. It can be helpful to talk to a friend, family member or even a therapist. This difficult experience is temporary — the key is to learn from it, pick yourself up and move on.
2. Audit your skills.
Next, we recommend that you do a personal audit and analyse your skills. It might even be useful to evaluate your performance since your last job. Were there issues you could have handled differently? Did you receive any feedback that gives you clues about what you can improve? Identifying these issues will help you identify directions in which you can develop.
You can try to get feedback from those you have worked with. Get in touch with former colleagues who might be able to give you valuable information about how they worked with you. Be open to feedback as it is a valuable tool for your personal and professional development.
3. Choose what you want to do.
You decide what comes next. Although it may seem daunting, consider this a good time to reassess your career goals and aspirations. Ask yourself what you want to do next. Maybe you want to become an entrepreneur or freelancer. Maybe you feel you’ve been in the same industry for too long and need a change. Maybe the role you had didn’t showcase your skills or challenge you enough, and you want to do something else. These are just some of the questions you can ask yourself that can shape your career path.
4. Update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Make sure your resume reflects your latest professional experience and skills. Add recent projects or achievements that are relevant to future employers. Also, update your LinkedIn profile to be more visible to recruiters and increase your chances of finding new career opportunities.
5. Contact your professional network.
Professional relationships can be extremely valuable in your search for a new job. Keep in touch with former colleagues, mentors or other relevant people in your industry to ask for advice, recommendations and to keep abreast of job opportunities that have not yet become public.
Attend networking events or professional meetings to expand your network and increase your visibility in your field of interest.
6. Invest in personal and professional development.
You now have the opportunity to invest time and effort in developing the soft and hard skills that will make you more attractive on the job market. Use the free time you have to acquire new skills that employers are looking for — this will also keep your mind off harmful scenarios.
7. Maintain a healthy routine and balance.
Allocate time to activities you enjoy and that relax you, such as sports, reading or other hobbies. Self-care is important to keep your mood positive and to cope successfully with the stress and uncertainty associated with looking for a new job.
Layoff Diaries, a new trend on TikTok
In a digital age where remote work and social media are intertwined with our professional lives, there is an emerging trend: laid-off employees are filming themselves and sharing their experiences online.
Some of these videos, like the one made by Brittany Pietsch, offer an honest perspective on the layoff process. They are seen by the general public as educational tools while providing a sense of community and solidarity to those who have gone through similar situations. Moreover, they mark a changing professional landscape where transparency and sharing of personal experiences are more accepted, even in sensitive situations such as layoffs.
On the other hand, this trend does not come without its drawbacks. Posting personal and potentially sensitive work-related events online can have long-term professional repercussions. These videos could be perceived negatively by future employers, who might view publicizing a private corporate matter as a breach of trust or professionalism.
In addition, there is a risk of facing legal problems, especially if the content of the video violates any confidentiality clauses in the contracts with the employer. This underlines the importance of knowing and respecting legal boundaries.
However, indulging in outrage may not be the best idea even if you are right. It may be wiser to highlight positive memories in your social media posts, talk about former colleagues and mentors, and thank those you worked well with.
And in terms of less pleasant things you experienced when you were fired, there’s Glassdoor, the platform where you can share everything that happened to you, good or bad, anonymously. Be sure to keep it cerebral and as objective as possible. That way, you’ll be able to help people who are thinking about employment at that company.
Have you been fired recently? Share your experience in the comments — how did you feel, what did you do, how did you react, and how quickly did you find your footing?
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